Current State of The Game -- thread discussion

[Z-0]

Regarding affixing, they really need to do away with boost weeks. Either just do away with them entirely or just boost all affix rates by 10% permanently.

Yes, they're a lot more common now, but outside of them the shops move so slowly, and upgrading stuff just feels like a waste of time because "might as well wait for the next boost week", but I want to play now, not in 4 weeks. Of course, there is nothing actually stopping me from upgrading now, but things are so much easier during boost week it feels like I'm just wasting resources by upgrading stuff now, and since I'm playing with crappy gear while waiting, I feel like I can't do what I really want to do.

This is my biggest problem with PSO2 over everything else. Everything is a waiting game. Wait for the next good EQ to pop up, wait for the boost weeks, wait for PSO2 Day, wait for the daily resets, wait to get your keys, wait to get your weeklies for your meseta, etc. etc. etc. You can't just drop in and play the game for most things, and I personally believe that is horrible game design.

Levelling, for example, is absolutely garbage. Nobody actually does anything to level, as people just wait for keys and then spam keys to get all their EXP. You'll never find anything like an AQ levelling party or a group doing the level up quest, so getting to Ultra Hard as a new player is actually objectively garbage.

Endless Quests, for example, are a very good step away from this, as they're extremely fun and rewarding, and while I'm totally crap at them (high score still only 30M for the first one since I'm TRESH), I play them all the time simply because it's something I can do that doesn't feel like a waste of time.

[ArcaneTechs]

Regarding affixing, they really need to do away with boost weeks. Either just do away with them entirely or just boost all affix rates by 10% permanently.

Yes, they're a lot more common now, but outside of them the shops move so slowly, and upgrading stuff just feels like a waste of time because "might as well wait for the next boost week", but I want to play now, not in 4 weeks. Of course, there is nothing actually stopping me from upgrading now, but things are so much easier during boost week it feels like I'm just wasting resources by upgrading stuff now, and since I'm playing with crappy gear while waiting, I feel like I can't do what I really want to do.

This is my biggest problem with PSO2 over everything else. Everything is a waiting game. Wait for the next good EQ to pop up, wait for the boost weeks, wait for PSO2 Day, wait for the daily resets, wait to get your keys, wait to get your weeklies for your meseta, etc. etc. etc. You can't just drop in and play the game for most things, and I personally believe that is horrible game design.

Levelling, for example, is absolutely garbage. Nobody actually does anything to level, as people just wait for keys and then spam keys to get all their EXP. You'll never find anything like an AQ levelling party or a group doing the level up quest, so getting to Ultra Hard as a new player is actually objectively garbage.

Endless Quests, for example, are a very good step away from this, as they're extremely fun and rewarding, and while I'm totally crap at them (high score still only 30M for the first one since I'm TRESH), I play them all the time simply because it's something I can do that doesn't feel like a waste of time.

Is that score solo or with people?

But i agree with everything you said. Its like i mentioned before, im sparsely running the current LQ as in only if im bored. Im just doing weeklies and playing other ganes atm. I should be practicing endless but im still on my burnout phase and just dont care for it but i love watching solo runs

[oratank]

well pso2 is waiting yes it is but if you don't want to wait you can do it by use triggers you can even buy it exchange it what ever you want

[Suirano]

UH to me is boring mostly. I do like the boss changes but its the same fields with the same enemies but now 1 or 2 shotting you. I don't understand why UH just wasn't released as a difficulty and instead this rotation thing and random bosses at the end instead of a specific one. I personally found SH's release the most enjoyable because the mobs were a little faster, all the bosses got a rework but ultimately it was dropped at a quick pace and you could choose which SH thing you wanted to do at your leisure and didn't need 12 people to handle it.

After already having Lightstream and Atlas, there is no reason to do UH. the LQ and EQs drops Dim fodder nullifying the need for that. The current LQ and EQ also drops the 15*s that UH had again nullifying UH Exploration. The Ultimate boosters you can either do Ultimate ( for crap drops ) or S Rank UH Solo PD to get what you need.

Sega has this really bad habit of nullifying previous content and making everyone solely go for the next shiny. They didn't even XH all the free fields. I enjoy doing various things at my leisure, not a singular thing. You can avoid this game for the entire episode, come back on the day that the final boss of the episode is released and still catch up to everything in only a week or two with up to date weapons and gear because Sega again, nullified a lot of the previous content.

I don't really know the future of Episode 6 but I was really hoping there was going to be more to it by now. More various levels, maybe more 4 player stuff. The fact the next 4 player thing isn't even until October for whatever reason. I just know I am kind of tired of running the same thing over and over again or running in a square for hours and hours. I just want variety so when I log on, there are things to do. Not even just for weapons and gear but like, maybe new room items or level themed or boss themed outfits or accessories. I don't know, just something more.

Overall, I feel I could come back next year and feel that I missed absolutely nothing and I really don't like that.

[Dark Mits]

Sega has this really bad habit of nullifying previous content and making everyone solely go for the next shiny.

This isn't entirely true. Lightstream for example, which is 7month old content, is still "king", with every other piece of equipment released later being either a downgrade, or entirely situational. And unlike EP5, we have not gotten a sufficient substitute for last episode's best equipment, even if it was for specific content, similar to how we got Evleda/Cleasis/Schvelle for BQs.


The issue isn't really the content, but the reward structure. Everything needed only drops in 1 part of the game, with the 2nd best source being so behind that it is heavily advisable to avoid doing it. Instead of distributing rewards to different parts of the game, they are all crammed in 1:

You want exp? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (4th FQ).
You want weapons? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (UH Free Fields)
You want units? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (...UH Free Fields?)
You want rare affixes? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (everything else I guess)
You want fodders to be used for upslotting? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (everything else)
You want meseta? This is where I think some old XQ floors are better as a repeatable source, at the extreme expense of absolutely everything else.
You want excubes? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable source is behind it (UH Free Fields or Eternal Darkness trigger)
You want grinding materials? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable source is behind it (...UH Free Fields?)

I possibly belong to a minority of the playerbase, but I believe that no content, regardless of its availability, should be the only "viable" content.

[Suirano]

This isn't entirely true. Lightstream for example, which is 7month old content, is still "king", with every other piece of equipment released later being either a downgrade, or entirely situational. And unlike EP5, we have not gotten a sufficient substitute for last episode's best equipment, even if it was for specific content, similar to how we got Evleda/Cleasis/Schvelle for BQs.


The issue isn't really the content, but the reward structure. Everything needed only drops in 1 part of the game, with the 2nd best source being so behind that it is heavily advisable to avoid doing it. Instead of distributing rewards to different parts of the game, they are all crammed in 1:

You want exp? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (4th FQ).
You want weapons? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (UH Free Fields)
You want units? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (...UH Free Fields?)
You want rare affixes? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (everything else I guess)
You want fodders to be used for upslotting? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable content is behind it (everything else)
You want meseta? This is where I think some old XQ floors are better as a repeatable source, at the extreme expense of absolutely everything else.
You want excubes? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable source is behind it (UH Free Fields or Eternal Darkness trigger)
You want grinding materials? Do the EQ / LQ as priority. 2nd best repeatable source is behind it (...UH Free Fields?)

I possibly belong to a minority of the playerbase, but I believe that no content, regardless of its availability, should be the only "viable" content.

Lightstream is king now but usually the final weapons at the end of the episode are the superiors going into the next. Basically getting Lightstream means more than likely at the end of Ep6, you will be completely fine for more than likely 16*s dropping from whatever boss it is. That alone makes farming for the newer weapons almost redundant minus gear for other classes or weapon form pass stuff. That is how I see it at least.

There is the whole theory that 13* crafting might be equal or surpass Lightstream but that seems mostly speculation so who knows.

I 100% agree though with the reward comment. That was what I mostly meant by "shiny". You are generally always going in one direction because the game makes you do that. The fact everything of value is always behind an EQ/LQ has always been annoying. This is ultimately what I meant behind nullifying content. The reason nobody does it is because what is the point. The rewards are garbage/meaningless or their drop rate is absolutely horrendous. My comment about content was less adding new content and more making it all relevant so there is always something to do whether for gear progression, level progression or just aesthetic rewards.

Like with FFXIV, even after getting to the end, you can do older content for glamour, go mount hunting, do the casino for other rewards, just do quests for emotes or simple stuff. Various stuff that even at end game, you can go back and find enjoyment. I just wish PSO2 had something like that where regardless of what you do, there was some reward behind it. I suppose the idea of "reward" varies from each player. It is just my views with the game. For me, you play it to do something for like 30 minutes and then go do something else because there isn't much else to do.

Also, why is there no damage dummy in this game yet? I don't understand why that is something that needs to be thought about.

[Aranea]

I've been waiting for this type of thread for a long time (hi there!)

If you strip PSO2 down to its basics, fundamentally its an online action looter with RPG elements and optional dress-up sim. This, as far as I'm aware, has always been the core of PSO2 since the very beginning and has never really changed.

Its kind of hard to describe the current state of the game without being overly critical or negative, but there are three massive elephants in the room which I think are slowly leading to PSO2s demise:

1) Too much emphasis on rare drops over the actual quest design. Lets face it, the only reason why the majority of people even run quests to begin with is because of the loot. If theres nothing to gain from a quest besides the loot, then people stop running the quest. If the sole reason to run a quest is for the drops and not because the quest is somewhat fun, interesting or different to anything else in the game at the time, then its a crap quest and will inevitably become short-lived like the rest of them.

2) Speaking of quests, whoever decided that running around in a circle waiting for stuff to jump out at you was a great concept for quest design needs shooting. I think they've overdone that gimmick already. There's literally no wonder or variety in quests anymore and even the re-skinned UH quests offer nothing unique to the game apart from a (sometimes cool) music remix or enemies that have been dunked into Photoshop and given a new move for us to memorise. Even story quests have become a bland and boring series of menus, corridors and cutscenes (at least points during ep1-3 had optional routes and story arcs). The most innovative quests in the game imo are challenge quests, but since the rewards are irrelevant to the current state of the game, nobody runs them anymore.

3) Balancing/buffing/nerfing players vs enemies. With the exception of some completely broken mechanics (CT Gu sub is the main one that comes to mind), I've never believed that classes in PSO2 ever needed drastic rebalancing prior to Ep5. Its a great buzz to play as Hero, but I believe Hero has a lot to answer for the current state of PSO2 in terms of class balances and even a drastic change in pace (the game plays twice as fast as it used to). Imagine if they released Phantom instead of Hero. I wonder how that would have affected things instead.

Rather than emphasising class balances, they really should have looked at what each class already contributes to the game and refine them to make them more appealing to players (for example, I really wanted to love Techer's Reverser Field, but you cant deny that its a severely neglected skill and has had no place in the game for a long time). Based on the recent updates, it looks like they are slowly starting to address things, but I doubt it'll be an overnight overhaul.

Constant damage buffs (weapons or class related) are slowly killing this game and a lack of consideration to balance the actual enemies we face in the game causes further balancing issues. Stuffing as many enemies as possible into a single quest just makes combat too convoluted and produces false difficulty. The same can be said with just sticking an extra 0 on the end of an enemy stats. Enemies such as Omega Masquerade who have a unique move-set, aren't as easy to cheese, and require actual strategies to engage make them excellent candidates for UH content (more please!).

There's a lot more I could say, but I think those three points are what is holding the game back in its current state. If SEGA never truly addresses them then I doubt the current state of the game will ever change and we'll be treated with rehashed quests, reskinned enemies, and power creeps until the game inevitably ends one day.

[LordKaiser]

I hate affixing, and with passion. I really hate how hard it is to make a catalyst skill to create things like a Mana Reverie among other things and i hate how fodder must be the same slot number or more for you to affix. With the catalyst system in place 5 fodder is not enough anymore.

If i want to add Apprentice Soul, Crack V, Mana Reverie , Ability III and Doom Break II for giving a example, it will cost me a long time to make the fodders with Omega Memoria and Reverie Catalyst to add all these to a Lightstream unit for example. Not to mention all of the million of meseta that will go on it.

Also I don't like the fact that they made the Val weapons way too rare in UH so you can't have a Atlas EX with Exceed Energy and other nice abilities like Mark Couragena etc. on it. They also introduced a UH Omega Masquerade with a new sword and wand just to take it away.

[ArcaneTechs]

I hate affixing, and with passion. I really hate how hard it is to make a catalyst skill to create things like a Mana Reverie among other things and i hate how fodder must be the same slot number or more for you to affix. With the catalyst system in place 5 fodder is not enough anymore.

If i want to add Apprentice Soul, Crack V, Mana Reverie , Ability III and Doom Break II for giving a example, it will cost me a long time to make the fodders with Omega Memoria and Reverie Catalyst to add all these to a Lightstream unit for example. Not to mention all of the million of meseta that will go on it.

Also I don't like the fact that they made the Val weapons way too rare in UH so you can't have a Atlas EX with Exceed Energy and other nice abilities like Mark Couragena etc. on it. They also introduced a UH Omega Masquerade with a new sword and wand just to take it away.

Mana Reverie, Astral Soul, Ether Factory, Returner/Crack V, Catalysts are not suppose to be easy in general which there are plenty alternatives to those because yes, those cost meseta to do and cost even more when you keep adding each of these special affixes to w/e you're doing. You're not forced to do this either, almost a luxury build if you decide to

You need to remember too that we're not running Omega content majority of the time now and while there are Omega enemies showing up in the LQ's for example, Sega has it set to drop their native drops only and the general Val Gunslash and thats it.It's honestly not a big surprise you aren't seeing much of it either because lack of Enchanted Forest runs (please dont keep boosting this field, its been done so many times) and Dragon EQ.

[ArcaneTechs]

since PSOW is sorta dead and with how little to nothing to do in PSO2 is, I figured a month later and a stream of upcoming content that seems incredibly barren, lets have a discussion again (and some rants). Some points I had with a friend with my responses under;

---Their game is dying and they know it.
A. Evident by recent content and not to mention the amount of people willing to spend on scratch, including the current Weaponoid scratch where rates arent the issue and items being super expensive across all ships

---The amount of paid campaigns is insane lately and their god awful content team are almost entirely to blame.
A. I've brought this up before with UH fields and the LQ's we've had this year, nothing of significance or rather a wow factor has been brought in this year, no your QoL changes are apart of this, to a degree, this doesn't keep people coming back and playing, actual content does

----Literally ignore all player feedback or cherry pick classes. Yeah thats smart; 20% negative and 20% meh on fi feedback.
PEOPLE LOVE IT.
A. Fighter being the biggest suspect in all this and it shows with how Sega doesn't care with all these balance updates that have occurred so far

---Literally no-one liked city lq, lets make excluder lq like city lq but point based too.
A. Nobody but returning and new players who needed materials for Atra Ex and LS gear needed to run this or the people who had nothing better to do. There wasn't really an incentive to run these outside SG scratch free ticket and the super low rates on Masq sword/wand and Dio weapons (oh hey one hour and no Dio spawn, neat).

---I've legit had people say theyre gonna just quit if they dont fix shit soon, people who have literally never taken a break mind you
A. with the games current state, I dont blame them


We have a 4 person Armada UQ coming up that not only looks super boring but likely the incentives aren't worth bothering just the like the 15* UH field weapons which end up being camo's as the only reason to bother and just the general experience of the new content.

For some reason everyone seems to think YSOK is doing an amazing job so far, he releases a few QoL updates and everyone loves the guy even more, like I don't get how people can keep thinking the game is in such a fantastic shape right now with this guy behind the wheel

I dont about some of you guys but I'm going out of my way to find someone to translate some actual complaints like the Fighter issue right now and try to get some other people behind it, not a riot action but to get Sega to stop ignoring some of these issues and improve the overall quality of the game, its just piss poor right now with how they're treating the game. Again, they're game is dying and they fucking know it, Block population, Scratch scarcity causes massive price spikes across ships, this weeks support scratch scratch might as well just be the nail in the coffin for p2w issue. I know some of you guys notice this this stuff and I dont know how others can defend it either